ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would lead Pakistan delegation to the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York from 19 September 2016.
The Annual Session of the General Assembly has special significance as it is attended by a large number of Heads of State and Government. The prime minister will make a policy statement in the UNGA General Debate on 21 September to enunciate Pakistan’s position, role and contribution on key international issues ranging from peace and security to development, and highlight the vision and priorities of the Government.
He will specifically focus on the current situation particularly the continuing grave violations of human rights by the Indian occupation forces in the Indian Occupied Jammu Kashmir. He will call upon the international community and the United Nations to live up to their promise of the right to self-determination of the people of Jammu Kashmir in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
The prime minister will also participate in the High-Level Meeting of the General Assembly to address Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants (19 September) and the Leaders’ Summit on Refugees convened by President Obama (20 September). Pakistan will avail of these high level meetings to highlight its tremendous contribution to the cause of refugees as the host of the world’s largest protracted refugee situation, and urge the international community to devote adequate political attention and support for the voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan and their sustainable reintegration in Afghanistan.
On the sidelines of the UNGA, the prime minister will hold bilateral meetings with a number of world leaders, including the UN Secretary-General. On the margins of the Session, Ministerial level meetings of many regional and sub-regional organisations are also held, including OIC, G-77, ECO, SAARC, Commonwealth, D-8 and others. There will also be a meeting of the OIC Contact Group on Jammu Kashmir.
Pakistan is a great advocate of multilateralism and the United Nations to promote collective responses to the multifaceted challenges of global peace, security and development. We would continue our constructive role and engagement at the UN with a view to protecting and promoting our national interests, including on core issues such as Jammu Kashmir, reform of the Security Council, counter-terrorism, human rights, peacekeeping, and a host of development and other matters.
